Button-hole attachment for sewing-machines



2 SheetsSheet 1.

(ModeL) T. POWELL. BUTTON HOLE ATTAGHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

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Wzeawesx- 2 SheetS-Sheet 2.

(ModeL) T. POWELL.

} BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS POVELL, OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS.

BUTTON-HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 467,643, dated January 26, 1892. Application filed February 12, 1891 Serial No. 381,136. (Model-l T0 aZZ whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS POWELL, of Fort Scott, in the county of Bourbon and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Button-Hole Attach ments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in a button-hole attachment for sewing-machines,

in which a cloth-clamp is adapted to carry the material in which the button-hole is to be worked in a path around the needle, so as to bring the margin of the button-hole into position to be stitched.

My present improvement has particular reference to the general form of attachment shown,described,and claimed in Letters Patent No, 442,695, granted to me on December 16, 1890, the particular objects in the present instance being to provide a convenient and effective arrangement of the movable racksections with respect to the supplementary stationary section for varying the size of the button-hole; to improve the presserfoot and its operating mechanism; to provide for re moving the cloth-clamp out of the way to gain access to the shuttle; to provide for cutting the button-hole, and to provide simple and convenient mechanism for returning the cloth-clamp to the position of starting independently of the operation of the actuatinglever.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the attachment. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through line 00 x of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a partial plan view with the top of the movable rack-section disk removed.

The bed-plate A, the overlying plate B, having an arm to extending laterally therefrom and provided with an upwardly-extending stud a, the bracket A, provided with a recess for the reception of the arm a, the cam-wheel or disk D, with which the stud a engages to give the overlying plate 13 its laterally-reciprocating movement, mounted on the uprising portion of the bracket A and having the ratchet-wheel D fixed to rotate therewith, the cloth-clamp L, mounted on the frame B and having a-movement longitudinally of the laterally-reciprocating plate 13, the laterallyshifting plate 0, and the gear for imparting the longitudinal movement of the cloth-clamp by means of the lateral movement of the overlying plate B are quite similar in their form, arrangement, and function to the corresponding parts shown, described, and claimed in my former patent, hereinabove referred to.

A plate I) is loosely mounted at the side of the bracket A, preferably upon the opposite side from that on which the cam-wheel D is located, and carries at one end a pawl 12, which is adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel D and force the cam-wheel D around in a step-by-step movement. ated by means of the operating lever C, which is pivotally secured to the side of the bracket A, concentric with the plate b, and is provided at its pivoted end with a lug c, projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to engage a recess 1) in the plate I). The recess 6 is made longer than the lug 0, so that the plate I) will be actuated by the op crating-lever only at the limits of its up and down strokes but such movement will be sufficient to advance the cam-wheel D one step at the completion of each upward stroke of the operating-lever and to return it to its position to again advance the wheel at the limit of the downward stroke of the operatinglever.

A presser-foot bar E is pivotally secured at one end to the bracket A, as shown, for example, at e, and projects forwardly between the plate I) and the bracket A, and is pro vided at its forward end with a foot c, through which there is an opening to receive the needie, as is usual, the toe of the foot being beveled, as shown at o for purposes which will hereinafter appear. Fixed to the pivoted end of the bar E is one end of aspring-bar e" the free end of said bar projecting forwardly to a point substantially below the pivotal point of the operating-lever (J, and provided with a laterally-projecting stud adapted to enter an angular-shaped slot 0 in the pivoted end of the lever O. The slot 0 is so disposed with respect to the end of the spring c that when the operating-lever G is depressed and. the needle is being forced through the fabric the end of the spring a will be held in the lower The plate 17 is actu ICO portion of the slot and the presser-foot thereby depressed to hold the fabric in position; but when the operating-lever O is raised the stud on the end of spring 6 will be forced along the angular slot 0 into the upper portion of said slot, thereby allowing the presser-foot to lift from the fabric while the needle is out of engagement therewith and the feed is taking place.

A pinion b is fixed to rotate with the ratchet or toothed wheel I), thelatter located in a recess in the base-plate and carried by the laterally-reciprocating plate B, and adapted to engage pawls b fixed to the bed-plate, and be thereby rotated in a manner similar to that shown in my former patent. The pinion 12 projects upwardly into a hollow housing or hub 0,, fixed to the shifting plate 0, and is adapted to engage a permanent rack-section 01 located therein and extending radially toward the periphery of the hollow hub 0. A section d of a groove extends around the sidesv and inner end of the rack-section 61 within thehub, for the purpose of allowing the pinion b to travel around the rack-section.

A disk F is provided with a central recess fon its under side adapted to receive the hub 0 of the shifting plate, and said disk is further provided on its under side with one or more-in the present instance, fiveshallower recesses radiating from the margin of the central recess f and provided with racksections f, of varying,lengths, located central of the recesses, so that there isbetween the rack-sections f and the walls of the recesses a continuous groove f around the sides and ends of the rack-sections. The. several racksections f and the grooves around them are intended to: supplement the permanent racksection din the hub of the shifting plate, and I shall find it convenient to refer to them as temporary racksections, for the reason that they may be changed by the rotation of the disk F, so that any one of them may at pleasure be brought into position to supplement the permanent rack-section and form together with it a complete rack surrounded by a continuous groove. The function of these several racks is the same as that described in my patent referred tonamely, to give the cloth-clamp a movement around the margin ofthe button-hole corresponding toitslength.

A set. of characters located upon the top of the disk F serves to indicate the relative lengths of the several rack-sections, so that the disk may be set to correspond with the length ofbutton-hole desired to be worked. A bearing-plate f is secured to the pivot about which the disk F rotates and carries thereon a radially-sliding plate f which is provi'diedwith, an elongated slot f near one end, which embraces the screw or pin which holds the bearing-plate to the pivot, and near its opposite end carries a depending stop f, which is adapted to engage notches in the periphery of the disk F and hold the latter in the desired adjustment. The said sliding A superimposed plate f is pivotally secured at its outer end to the sliding plate f and is provided at its inner end with a slot f adapted to loosely embrace the pin or screw which secures the bearing-plate to the pivot, so as to give the said superimposed plate a limited lateral play upon said pin or screw. The superimposed plate f is further provided at one side of its inner end with a downWardly-proj ectin g catch or lug f which is adapted when the plate is slid outwardly to engage one of several pins f projecting upwardly from the top of the disk F, and thereby rotate the said disk one step. The slot f in the superimposed plate is of such shape that as the plate is slid inwardly its catch will pass the fastening pin or stud and allow the end of said plate to swing into the curved path of the pin f carried along with the disk F. The bearing-plate f is provided at its inner .end with a post f for the attachment of a spring f and the superimposed plate f is provided near its outer end with a corresponding post for the attachment of the outer end of said spring, the tension of said spring tending to hold the sliding plate normally drawn toward the center of the disk F. The sliding plate f is further conveniently provided at its outer end with a knobf for operating it.

A spring-catch G is secured to the outer side of the shifting plate 0 in position to engage the periphery of the disk F and lock it against possible rotation, excepting when the clamp-holder is in position to begin its work. When in such position, which in the present instance is when it is advanced outwardly to l the limit of its movement, the said spring G is brought into engagement with a projection on the reciprocating plate B, which withdraws.

i t temporarily from engagement with the disk IIO F and permits the latter to be rotated by the the desired rack-section into alignment with the permanent rack-section.

The plate B is provided upon its opposite side from the arm a with a laterally-projecting arm er in the under side of which is an intermeshing train of gear a and a, the latter of which intermeshes with a gear-wheel a which is located in a recess in the bottom of the plate, and also intermeshes with the cloth-clamp may be thereby advanced or returned to its place of beginning at pleasure. The releasing of the wheel I) from its pawls is effected by means of a push-piece a seated in the bed-plate and having its outer end a provided with an upwardly-turned portion and its inner end a in engagement with the short arms of the pawls. so that when forced inwardly it will throw the ends of the pawls out of engagement with the teeth of the wheel I)" and leave it free to rotate. To hold the push-piece a against displacement, its inner end is conveniently provided with a short lug or nose of", which overlaps a shoulder a on the bed-plate.

For the purpose of sliding the cloth-clamp laterally to expose the cover of the shuttlebOX and to further carry the cloth into position to have the button-hole out, I connect the said cloth-clamp with its carrying and supporting plates by means of a laterally-sli ling joint composed of the stationary way g and the slide g, the latter fixed to the rear end of the clamping-plate. On the end of the slide g I provide a vertically-swinging latch 9 the nose of which is adapted to engage a slot g formed in a forwardly-extending portion of the plate, which supports the way g, so that when the latch is turned down into engagement with the said slot the clamping-plate is firmly locked to its support and carrying-plates, so as to partake of the forward and lateral motions of said plate to carry the cloth around the needle. \Vhen, however, the latch is disengaged from the slot 9 the said clamping-plate may be slid laterally to the left so as to expose the shuttle-cover g in the bed-plate, or it may be slid to the right, so that the latch may be depressed into a slot 9 in the bed-plate, and when in such position the opening in the center of the cloth-clamp through which the needle works will be brought centrally over an elongated narrow slit 9 in the bed-plate or in the cover of the shuttle-box for the purpose of cutting the button-hole.

The means which I provide for cutting the button-hole when the cloth-clamp is adjusted for the purpose as above stated consist of a swinging arm I-I, hinged at one end to a pair of cars It, secured to a sliding frame It, mount ed in grooves 71 in the cloth-clamp and extending along on opposite sides of the opening in the cloth-clamp, the said swinging arm being provided at its head or free end with a cutting-blade 7L which, when the arm is swung over and downwardly into position within the opening in the cloth-clamp, is adapted to project downwardly through the plane of the cloth and into the slit in the bed-plate. By swinging the arm downwardly and piercing the cloth when its support is in its rearward adjustment, and then sliding the cutter and its frame forwardly, the button-hole will be out. When out of use, the cutter may be swung back outof the way. In the present instance I have shown milled disks h located one on each side of the cutting-blade to prevent the cloth from creeping away from the edge of the blade as it is slid forward. For the purpose of determining the desired length of cut I have provided a stop consisting of a cross-head 7L5 and a pair of spring-arms 7L which extend from the cross-head rearwardly along the edges of the opening through the cloth-clamp, and secured at their rear ends to'a pair of slides 7L7, which engage the grooves in which the cuttersupport slides. The cross-head is provided with a handle-piece 72, and with a depending pin or tooth h", which is adapted to spring into engagement with a series of holes or notches h in the top of the cloth-clamp and hold the said stopin the desired adjustment. The several holes or notches h are numberd to correspond with the lengths of the button- ;holes determined by the different lengths of racks, so that the cross-head of the stop, when the latter is adjusted to a number corresponding to that to which the rack-carrying disk is set, will stop the cutter in the proper position to form a hole of the desired length. The said stop should be adjusted to correspond (by number) with the particular racksection that for the time being is in position for use; but should the operator forget to make the necessary adjustment of said stop, and in case the new size of hole is to be greater than that for which the stop was set, it will be caused to automatically assume the correct position by the action of the presserfoot, the beveled end of the latterlifting said stop and driving it toward the operator till it arrives at the point at which it should have been set before beginning the work.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a fabric-carrier and means for giving it the desired movement with respect to a needle, of a permanent rack-section and ahorizontally-rotating disk provided on its face with a series of supplemental rack-sections adapted to be brought into alignment with the permanent rack-section at pleasure, a pinion in engagement with the rack, and means for actuating the pinion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a clothcarrier and means for imparting to it a laterally-reciprocating movement, of a permanent racksection, a disk carryingin its flat face a series of supplemental rack-sections, a reciprocating slide having an engagement with the disk to impart to it a step-by-step rotary movement,a pinion adapted to engage the rack, and means for operating the pinion, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the cloth-carrier against rotation,a releasing device adapted tonautomatically release the spring at a predetermined point in the travelof the disk with the clothcarrier, a pinion in engageciprocates, of mechanism for imparting a-traveling movement to the cloth-clamp in a direction transverse to that in which the reciprodependently of the movement of the reciproeating frame, and means for releasing the.

eating frame moves, gear and a gear-actuated spindle for rotating the said toothed .Wheel intoothedlvvheel at pleasure to allow it to be turned vby the gear-actuating spindle, sub-t of the verticallyswinging button-hole cutter stantiallyas set forth.

5, The combination, with the vibrating actuating-lever and the presser-foot supporting -v leased as the actuating-lever vibrates,sub-

stantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a vibrating actuating-lever provided near its pivotal point with an angularslot, of the presser-Jfoot bar pivotally secured to a fixed support, and a spring-arm fixed at one end to the presser foot bar and havinga loose engagement at its opposite end with the angular slot inthe vibrating actuating-lever, whereby the presserfoot is vdepressed and released as theactnating-bar is vibrated, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the bed-plate provided with an elongated slot, the cloth-clamp,

and its support, the said clamp being secured in laterally-sliding adjustment to its support,

and means for giving said clamp a laterallysliding movement relative to the slot in the bed-plate, of a button-hole cutter carried by the cloth-clamp, the said cutter being adapted to penetrate in the slot in-the bed-plate, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the cloth-clamp,

and its sliding supporhthe said-supportwhen the cutter is depressedin position to cut havin g a sliding movement in thedirection of the length of the button-hole,substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the cloth-clamp provided with a scale corresponding to the different lengths of button-holes and a sliding stop having an adjustment to each of the divisionsof the scale, of aslidingoutter-support carried by the cloth-clamp, and a swinging arm carrying-the cutter and hinged-to the cutter-support, the said arm when in position to'cnt having an engagement with the said adj ustahle stop'to limit its movement, substantially as set .forth.

THOMAS POV'ELL.

XVitnesses:

OHAs T. POWELL, W. R. POWELL. 

